Are you looking for Best Laptop To Buy? With reviews and professional buying guidance on how to choose a model that will meet all of your needs, we’ll help you locate the greatest laptop.
Laptops have withstood tablets’ attempts to take over the computer world and have remained a mainstay of the industry, particularly in the new hybrid working environment ushered in by the epidemic. There are nearly infinite options to select from, each with its own set of models and specifications, so we’ve reviewed and ranked the finest right here.
We’ve tested and ranked 15 of the best laptops available right now, and we’re constantly adding new models (and removing old ones) – 2022 models will appear as soon as we can acquire them. You’ll find an overview of each laptop, as well as our expert rating and where you can buy it, but make sure to read each review for more information.
If none of the laptops we’ve mentioned here are just suitable for you, let us provide you with the information you’ll need to make an informed decision. Following the chart, you’ll find a wealth of buying advice on anything from which processor is best to how much storage you’ll need and whether you should go for a more portable choice.
If price is your first priority, we’ve combed the web for the finest laptop bargains and budget laptops.
1. Huawei MateBook 14s (2021)
- Pros
- Plenty of power & ports
- Killer keyboard
- 90Hz display
- Fixed webcam
- Cons
- Plain design
- Thunderbolt 4 only on top SKU
- Webcam only 720p
Price Today: £1,199.00 at Huawei
The MateBook 14s, a revised version of the MateBook 14, is another coveted all-rounder in the laptop market, especially now that the webcam is no longer concealed in the keyboard and is back above the screen.
The 14s is impressive almost everywhere else, starting with components that run up to an H-series i7 processor and 16GB RAM. It’s just 720p, but it supports Windows Hello login, and the 14s is excellent almost everywhere else.
In addition, the 2.5K display has a smooth 90Hz refresh rate and a plethora of connectors. It’s just a shame Thunderbolt 4 is only available in the highest-spec model, as there are thinner and lighter alternatives if portability is a requirement.
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2. MacBook Air (M1) by Apple
- Pros
- Powerful components
- Long battery life
- iOS apps
- Cons
- Very limited ports
- Throttled performance
Price Today: £887.00
The MacBook Air may not appear to be any different from its predecessor on the outside, but what matters is what’s on the inside.
The 5nm M1 chipset, which provides a substantial performance gain over the previous MacBook Air’s 10nm Intel chipset, is blisteringly quick in operation, handling light video editing and gaming via Apple Arcade without breaking a sweat.
It’s speedier than many Intel-based Windows rivals, giving Apple’s entry-level lightweight laptop a lot of bang for your budget. There’s also a significant improvement in battery life, and the display, as well as the keyboard and trackpad, are excellent.
It’s fanless, which means it runs quietly, but it also means the laptop will limit speed in order to keep things cool. Even though it doesn’t add any additional ports, those who want to edit video for hours on end may be better off with the fan-equipped MacBook Pro M1.
3. LG Gram 17 (2021)
- Pros
- Insanely light
- Stunning battery life
- Excellent screen
- Cons
- Spongy keyboard
- McAfee pop-ups
Price Today: £1,399.00 at LG
We didn’t think LG could improve on the gram 17, but the new model is just fantastic.
It’s still an amazingly light engineering miracle that now improves on the flaws we had before, all while being housed in a more appealing design. Our primary gripes were the speakers and trackpad, both of which have since been improved.
The laptop also boasts a fantastic screen, a long battery life, and Thunderbolt 4 connectivity. It’s only that it’s not touch-sensitive, and some users might prefer a more sharp keyboard movement.
Still, this is the 17-inch laptop to beat, and LG now offers the gram 16 if you’re looking for something a little smaller and less expensive.
4. Dell XPS 15
- Pros
- Stunning display
- Plenty of power
- Good battery life
- Cons
- Shallow keyboard
- The cooling system needs space
- Expensive
Price Today: £1,419.00 at Dell
Although it has a mediocre webcam and a poor application of HDR, these are minor flaws in what is otherwise a wonderful piece of work from Dell.
In 2020, those searching for a 15-inch Windows laptop, potentially as a replacement for the MacBook Pro, will be hard-pressed to find a better option than the XPS 15. This laptop is well-built, small, and offers lots of performance as well as remarkable specifications in other areas.
It’s pricey at the top end, but you don’t have to spend over £3k to have a fantastic laptop. In fact, most customers will be satisfied if they avoid the lowest-spec choice with integrated graphics.
Unless you specifically require a 4K display, the Full HD option will suffice and will help extend battery life.
5. Best Value Huawei MateBook D 14
- Pros
- Great value
- Impressive components
- Fast charging
- Cons
- Awkward webcam
- Only one USB-C
- Limited brightness
Price Today: £649.99
Despite the laptop’s mid-range price, Huawei has done an excellent job of making the MateBook D 14 appear to be a luxury alternative.
It has AMD internals that can compete with similarly priced laptops, and while not being marketed as a gaming laptop, the Radeon Vega 8 graphics are more than capable of powering casual titles like Fortnite and Rocket League. There’s also all-day battery life, which we measured at a little over 10 hours, and 65W rapid charging, which means it can recharge 43 percent of the battery in only half an hour.
The MateBook D 14 is a tough mid-range competitor because it’s light, portable, and powerful.
6. HP Envy 13 (2021)
- Pros
- Great display
- Solid speed & battery
- Sleek design
- Quiet keyboard
- Cons
- No HDMI or Thunderbolt
- Expensive i7 model
- Disappointing trackpad
price Today: £649.99 at Microsoft
HP Envy 13 looks good, has a great screen, and offers rock-solid everyday processing power thanks to its Core i5 processor. It also comes with a nice keyboard and a long battery life. It’s an impressive everyday ultraportable in many ways.
For years, HP’s core laptop has been a favorite of ours, but demand for the 2021 model has dwindled, and the 2020 model is now scarce.
Unless you’re searching for the i7 SKU, it’s still a decent laptop with reasonable pricing, and you might not like the loss of HDMI and Thunderbolt. There are more durable designs and better trackpads available elsewhere.
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7. Lenovo Yoga Slim 7: Best for Streaming
- Pros
- Versatile design
- Solid specs
- Great connectivity
- Cons
- No fingerprint scanner
Prices Today: £749.99 at Lenovo
The Yoga Slim 7 may lack a fingerprint scanner and an Ethernet port, but it is generally difficult to fault, and the latter is quite unusual.
Lenovo offers the vast majority of features that most people seek in a laptop at a reasonable price. It’s as light and portable as the name implies, yet it lacks the 360-degree hinge found in many Yoga variants.
There are Intel or AMD processors to choose from, as well as a great screen, long battery life, Dolby Atmos speakers, Wi-Fi 6, and more. Overall, this is a fantastic value-for-money package.
8. Acer Swift 5
- Pros
- Extremely light
- All-round performance
- Thunderbolt 4
- Cons
- Medicore speakers
- Fans can be noisy
Prices Today: £699.00
Acer continues to surprise with the Swift 5, a fantastic laptop that excels in all areas.
It’s not quite as cheap as the previous model, but it’s amazingly small and light, yet luxurious, and comes with a good number of connectors, including Thunderbolt 4.
It doesn’t have the best keyboard or speakers, but the display has been enhanced, and the performance is solid, as well as the battery life. Overall, there’s not much to complain about as Acer continues to improve its best laptop.
9. Best Convertible Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360
- Pros
- Solid performance
- S-Pen support
- Great battery life
- Optional 5G
- Cons
- Expensive
- No dedicated GPU
- The screen could be brighter
Prices Today: £699.00
Even though the Galaxy Book Flex 2 is still a wonderful option, Samsung continues to develop superb convertible 2-in-1 laptops since its return to the laptop market, and this is our new favorite.
Although the screen could be brighter and there is no dedicated graphics card, the Book Pro 360’s outstanding design and pen support make it a versatile machine that can handle a wide range of ordinary and creative work.
The performance remains strong, the battery life is impressive, and you can even get 5G mobile data if you need it.
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10. Microsoft Surface Laptop 4
- Pros
- Solid performance
- S-Pen support
- Great battery life
- Optional 5G
- Cons
- Expensive
- No dedicated GPU
- The screen could be brighter
Prices Today: £969.97
The Surface Laptop 4 is another wonderful all-rounder laptop from Microsoft, and while the design may use an update, it’s another great all-rounder notebook that will fit a wide range of customers.
The fans can be a little noisy, but the performance from AMD or Intel chips is good, and battery life is good as well. A decent keyboard and a high-end display make for a pleasant experience.
Top-end models, on the other hand, are exorbitantly priced, and we’d like to see some extra features like an OLED display and optional LTE connectivity.
11. Dell XPS 13
- Pros
- Premium build
- All-round performance
- Brilliant keyboard
- Cons
- Limited ports
- Expensive
- Can run hot
Price Today: £1,044.97
The Dell XPS 13 used to be the unquestioned ruler of the ultrabook market, but the competition has improved, and Dell isn’t doing enough to stay up.
The XPS 13 is certainly worth a look for anyone considering a Windows ultrabook, but the drawbacks – especially, a lack of ports and a high price – feel more acute than ever.
This late 2020 variant with 11th-gen Intel has improved thermal performance and is quieter, but it’s still not perfect. If you’re willing to live with the drawbacks, you might be able to find the older 9300 for less money.
12. Huawei MateBook X Pro
- Pros
- 11th-gen Intel chips
- Slick design
- Excellent trackpad
- Cons
- Below-average battery life
- No discrete GPU option
- Awkward keyboard webcam
Prices Today: £1,599.00 at Huawei
After four years, the design has become a little stale, particularly the webcam positioning at a time when video calling is more crucial than ever, but the X Pro still looks slick and is built with premium materials.
Better battery life may be found elsewhere, and a dedicated graphics card is no longer an option, which is a bummer. It’s not as Pro as it once was, but it’s still a great option in a variety of ways.
The latest Intel processors are quick, the 3:2 screen is adequate, and the X Pro’s keyboard and trackpad are among the best.
13. The Asus ZenBook Duo is the best laptop for multitasking.
- Pros
- Dual-screens
- All-round performance
- Lightweight
- Cons
- Cramped keyboard
- Tiny trackpad
- Expensive
Prices Today: £1,247.98
If you like the concept of having two screens without having to plug one in, the revolutionary ZenBook Duo swings around its second screen and makes for an unusual setup.
Once you get used to it, it allows for excellent multitasking in some situations, and performance is good for a wide range of tasks, with good battery life. For a system with two monitors, it’s also surprisingly light and portable.
The negative of the second screen is that it has a knock-on effect on the keyboard and trackpad, making them undersized and unwieldy.
14. The Samsung Galaxy Book
- Pros
- Insane battery life
- Incredibly thin
- Touchscreen
- Cons
- Processor issues
- Limited ports
- Lackluster keyboard
Price Today: £999.00 at Samsung
The Samsung Galaxy Book S is a sleek laptop that is well-made and incredibly portable, albeit with a subpar keyboard.
When you combine this with the longest battery life we’ve seen to yet, you might just have discovered the ideal travel companion, assuming the price isn’t too expensive.
Despite Qualcomm’s efforts to improve Windows on Snapdragon, there are still performance and compatibility difficulties that will turn off more demanding consumers.
15. Best 4K Convertible: Asus ZenBook Flip S UX371
- Pros
- Stunning display
- Hybrid design
- High-end specs
- Cons
- Throttled performance
- No fingerprint scanner
- No headphone jack
Prices Today: £1,249.00
There are less expensive 2-in-1 laptops on the market, but if you can afford it, the ZenBook Flip S is a beauty.
It’s one of the most visually appealing laptops on the market, with a stunningly thin profile and, as the name says, the ability to switch between modes. You’ll also like the stunning 4K OLED screen, 1TB of storage, and Thunderbolt 4 support.
Although there are 11th-generation Intel processors here, performance is limited by the tiny design, and there is no headphone port despite the presence of full-size HDMI.
What to Look for When Buying a Laptop
Sometimes a larger screen, a keyboard, and Windows are all you need to get things done, and a laptop is your only option. There are many various types, including hybrids that may be used as either a laptop or a tablet, high-end gaming laptops, low-cost budget models, and even some that run macOS instead of Windows 10.
What is the right amount to spend on a laptop?
The best can be expensive, but you can acquire a good laptop for under £500 or even £300 if you simply need it to perform simple chores like online browsing, emailing, and creating the occasional document.
You can acquire a good laptop for around £500 or more, but it will most likely have entry-level hardware. We’re talking about a basic processor, limited SSD storage, and a low-resolution screen. It could also be a little hefty.
If you spend £700 or more, you should receive a powerful processor, plenty of RAM, plenty of storage, and a stunning display. You may also anticipate high-quality construction and premium materials. Many laptops now cost more than £1,000, at which point you may purchase 4K touchscreens and ultra-lightweight designs.
This laptop option is specifically designed for students.
We’ve shown you some of our favorite laptops on the market right now and given you some spending recommendations, but if you’re still undecided, we might be able to help you narrow down your choices even more. To assist you in making your decision, we discuss screen size, storage, CPUs, and more.
What is the screen size of the laptop you require?
Laptop screens range in size from 11 inches to 17 inches. Although a smaller screen is more difficult to work on and has fewer connectors, it is more portable.
A 17-inch laptop, on the other hand, is designed to be used as a desktop replacement and is not intended to be moved around frequently. In general, the sweet point for portability and usage is 13- or 14in.
While some low-cost laptops have a resolution of 1366×768, full-HD, quad-HD, and even 4K laptops are also available. A touchscreen will increase the price and isn’t necessary on a laptop, but it is a nice feature to have. Look for a matt, non-reflective screen as well.
A laptop with a high refresh rate display, which is primarily utilized in gaming devices, isn’t available here. However, there are indications that additional consumer laptops with screens that run at 90Hz or higher will be available soon.
Soon, laptops with Mini-LED displays will be available.
How much hard drive space do you require for your laptop?
The amount of storage you require is determined by the purposes for which you intend to utilize your laptop. As a general rule, get as much as you can without spending too much money on the upgrade.
A solid-state drive (SSD) will make your laptop run faster, but it will provide you less storage space for your contents (consider supplementing it with a portable USB drive). You can also use cloud storage, but only if you have access to the internet.
Programs and data are only stored in memory (RAM) while you’re using them, and more is always better – up to a point. Unless it’s a Chromebook, 4GB is the very minimum, with 8 to 16GB being optimal.
These Google-powered laptops may not make the cut, but if you prefer a Chromebook, we’ve compiled a list of the finest Chromebooks. They’re excellent for simple jobs and online work, but not much else.
What is the best laptop processor?
You don’t need a high-end processor unless you’re planning to run complex and demanding software or play games. If you’re searching for a gaming laptop, we’ve put up a separate list of the best gaming laptops.
If you’re willing to spend a little more, you should consider an Intel Core i7 chip from the current generation (10th or 11th). In the entry-level spec models, a Core i3 or even a Celeron or Pentium processor is more common. A Core i5 is a good mid-range option, so see how much more it costs to upgrade before deciding.
The letters following the model name are crucial: The letters Y and U indicate that the chips are ultra-low-power, which means they won’t be great for demanding tasks but should result in extended battery life. H stands for high-performance graphics, and Q stands for a quad-core processor.
Many laptop manufacturers will update laptops with Intel 11th-generation Tiger Lake processors, although the product will largely be the same. It’s likely that you’ll be able to choose between the most recent model and the most recent model, which may be less expensive. Our opinions remain unchanged, but the new chip may boost performance.
AMD has gone a long way in recent years, and the Ryzen processors are fantastic, often beating their Intel equivalents, therefore they are highly recommended.
Check out our Intel vs. AMD comparison.
Laptops featuring Qualcomm processors, the company most known for smartphone and tablet chips, are also available. While these are improving with each new generation, they are still in their infancy. They have excellent battery life, but their performance lags behind Intel and AMD, and some software is incompatible with them.
Purchasing an Ultrabook or a laptop that is ultraportable
Purchasing an ultraportable laptop is similar to purchasing any other laptop, with the exception that your priorities are likely to change. You could prefer an ultraportable laptop that is light and can be used away from the power source for extended periods of time.
Others, on the other hand, seek a strong ultrabook that can perform demanding programs without causing back pain when carried around. Both of these options are available.
However, if you want a tiny and light laptop, you’ll have to make some tradeoffs. Because there is less room for a battery, shorter runtimes are common.
Because thin laptops have little key travel, read our reviews to see if a keyboard is a delight or a headache to use if you need to do a lot of typing.
You’ll also likely be missing out on ports and connectivity – some ultrabooks only have USB-C connectors, making it tough to connect to ethernet, HDMI, or even a regular USB-A mouse. A USB-C dock may be required.
Warranty and other factors to consider
We endorse all of the laptops on our list; there isn’t one that isn’t good. However, we strongly advise you to read the entire review before parting with your hard-earned cash. None of them are flawless, and the device that best suits your needs may not be the one listed first.
The battery life and warranty of laptops differ. The latter may vary depending on where you purchase the laptop. For example, John Lewis tends to provide a lengthier warranty than competitors.
You should think about after-sales service for anything you buy. Check to see if the company offers a UK-based helpline, and forums (like ours) are a great place to learn whether a manufacturer is good or awful at performing warranty service.
